


Walk Away (Maybe)

by Ogawdy



Category: Warcraft (2016)
Genre: M/M, Modern AU, Single Parents, author puts extensive time spent in airport to good use, fluffy fluffy fluff, kids fic, looks like angst at first but actually very sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 04:32:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10071605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ogawdy/pseuds/Ogawdy
Summary: They met through the single parents' program, Khadgar with Tiana and Lothar with Callan. They were both in need of help and comfort, and they had brought this to each other. Step by step, their relationship had strengthened and evolved. Anduin couldn't just walk away from it like this... could he?





	

**Author's Note:**

> im an idiot in love so enjoy this absurdly and disgustingly sweet fic about two other idiots in love while i cry (i love them)

They had been friends for a long time, for two years that had been some of the best of his life. They had met over the single parents’ program, Khadgar with baby Tiana, whose mother had left her to his care after he had come out as gay to her, and Lothar, with Callan, his six years old son who had lost his mother on the very day he was born. They were both much in need of help and comfort at the time and they had been that to each other. Tiana had grown up to call Lothar ‘uncle’ and soon Callan had done the same with Khadgar. They had been each other’s anchor when the weight of single parenthood had been too much, when the hurt of rejection had made itself known again in the shape of Khadgar’s failed attempt to reunite with his parents, or when the crushing grief of having lost his wife and his son’s mother had sent Anduin back into a hard and long depressive episode.

Very honestly, Khadgar did not know what any of them would have become without each other. For the past two years, Anduin had been his beacon of hope, his closest friend. And now he was leaving.

Khadgar remained motionless for long seconds, listening to the dial tone of his phone. He stared at the opposite wall, unseeing, Anduin’s words and his accompanying apology ringing in his head. “I’m sorry, Khadgar, I meant to tell you.” Maybe that had hurt more than the actual statement, that he had known for weeks but had not said anything. “We’re leaving.” It seemed so definitive, so final, like there was nothing Khadgar could do that would change anything, so Khadgar said nothing. “I’ve found a job near Los Angeles. It pays well, and it’s got all my qualifications. The school seems nice, you know, for Callan.” As he went on, Anduin’s tone turned more and more apologetic, like he had to ask for Khadgar’s forgiveness. “We’re going to be fine, I guess. We’ll come visit, you know. During Callan’s holiday. It’s a one day trip but we’ll come visit.” He had paused, taking an audible breath through the phone. Khadgar wanted to get angry at him, because this felt unfair and selfish and he didn’t want him to go. But Lothar’s voice had cracked when he had whispered “Khadgar” and he sounded, and he knew he was, genuinely sorry, because this hurt Khadgar and this hurt him too and they both wished it would be any other way but that was the way things were.

“Okay,” Khadgar had said. Then: “See you Saturday?” for their last single parents’ meeting where Anduin would announce to the whole group that he was leaving. A single, broken, sad “Yeah” and the conversation was over, the most heart-breaking one you could have. I’m leaving and the words rang and rang with every dial tone.

Khadgar’s hand fell slowly, fingers loosely wrapped around the phone who slipped down to the bed with a soft thump. He didn’t know how he felt then, even though he knew he should be angry or disappointed or betrayed that Anduin hadn’t told him sooner. But he felt none of that or in such a small dose they were submerged by another, immense feeling that overwhelmed him in an instant. It left him sobbing, gasping for breath as his entire body shook under the force of such intense and viral sadness. The sobs went like they came, momentarily and suddenly, leaving Khadgar wrecked on the edge of his single sized bed. Because he didn’t know what else to do in the face of the inner turmoil he was currently experiencing and because his therapist had often told him to do so, Khadgar analyzed this feeling he had, this terrible onslaught of emotion that made the questions “What am I feeling? Why am I feeling this way? What can be done to stop feeling this way?” seem useless and trivial. However, Khadgar had found them of invaluable help, but the last time he had gone through them, Anduin had been there to walk him through the process. 

Taking a deep breath in, Khadgar released it slowly, conjuring Anduin’s voice. “How do you feel?” Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. “I feel… Furious. Hateful. Unimportant. Unaccounted for.” Breathe in. “Forgotten.” Breathe out.

“Why do you feel like that?”

Khadgar’s breath caught in his throat, releasing a whimper that resonated through the room. There was no denying it, no escaping the hard truth. Khadgar had admitted that to himself long ago. The only reason why he felt Anduin’s decision to leave so personally was because-

Because-

Khadgar let out a loud groan, frustration building as the relative calmness he had achieved through meditation was slowly crumbling. Anger, visceral and hot in his veins, whitened his vision and he closed his fists tight, feeling his nails digging into his palms.

Deep breath in. One, two, three. Deep breath out. He untightened each finger gradually until his mind cleared. Only then did he allow himself to speak the words.

“I’m in love with him.”

***

It seemed only fitting that the day was cloudy. Rain was expected in the evening. It was a Tuesday and they were late. As they ran through the airport’s halls, Anduin shouted unintelligible instructions to Khadgar who was too busy to properly listen. Khadgar trailed a reluctant and resisting Callan while Anduin had two bags on his shoulders and pulled an enormous suitcase behind him. Khadgar urged Callan on as his father was well and promptly panicking. Tiana had been left at daycare earlier in the day.

The plane was scheduled at 12:30. It was 11:59 and as it was customary, and generally advised, to go through check-in an hour before the plane took off, they were already half an hour behind schedule. The reason for their lateness was currently yelling and sobbing, while applying his whole weight down the ground in an effort to stop them from advancing towards the check-in desks. Callan was, to put it simply, throwing a tantrum. They could not yell at him, because he was six years old and knew very well what was going to happen, and also he was already crying and drawing gazes from many of the other travelers. 

Suddenly, Anduin came to a halt. Khadgar almost ran into him. Anduin picked up Callan in such a swift movement that Khadgar, not having let go of his safe grasp of the kid’s hand, winced as his arm got twisted and pulled uncomfortably. The effect was immediate however: Callan got quiet as soon as he was settled in his father’s arms, stunned.

“Callan,” started Anduin, tone and face serious even as he was breathing heavily, face flushed and hair going wild. “Do you want me to leave you behind?” 

A sniffle. “No.” 

“Good. Now, do you want to come with me on the plane?”

“But Khadgar he-” Whatever sentence was started morphed into a shrieking cry when Anduin handed Callan back to Khadgar, who took him without question, dumbfounded and suddenly half deaf. Anduin was already far when Khadgar came back to his senses and ran to catch up to him, Callan having resumed his crying in his arms.

The registration clerk looked positively disinterested at them, wearing the kind of expression that said they weren’t the first to come up to her with a sobbing kid today, don’t think you’re so special, _mister_. Khadgar would gladly believe her. At long last, Anduin and Callan were checked in and headed towards Wing B, door A for boarding. “And hurry up, _mister_.”

There was some more running and then they were right in front of the boarding tunnel. Callan was back in Anduin’s arms, the suitcase having been left at check-in to be placed in the plane’s baggage hold. Khadgar stood awkwardly at the side, Anduin handed the tickets and the stewardess smiled, “Have a nice trip, sir.”

And there was the dreaded moment: saying goodbye.

Khadgar could feel his eyes sting as they watered and he couldn’t have cared less. Anduin turned to face him, Callan finally all quiet sending him a desperate look. A chuckle wrenched his way up his tight throat and Khadgar stepped closer to ruffle the kid’s hair.

“Goodbye, you silly lion. You behave, ok?”

Callan nodded, eyes bright, a small shadow of the usual grin the nickname would conjure on his quivering lips only kids could muster. Then came the hard part and Khadgar almost couldn’t bring himself to do it but he knew, if he didn’t, he would regret it for the rest of his life. He looked up into Anduin’s eyes and he had such a look as he gazed directly at Khadgar that it could not be mistaken for anything than pure adoration. He could feel himself blush even if his cheeks were already red hot from all the running and panicking, and this terrible sadness that tightened his throat. In that moment, it didn’t seem right to say goodbye and Khadgar remembered what Anduin had said.

“You’ll visit, right?”

His voice may have quivered or been just a little too tight or too high. But it brought the brightest smile on Anduin’s face that Khadgar could not help but mirror it.

“Sir, gate is closing.”

Surprised by the stewardess’ voice, they both glanced at her. She was wearing a kind smile, standing politely to the side. “That’s her job,” thought Khadgar even though she glanced between the two of them like the mothers on the single parents’ program used to do.

Anduin turned back towards him, an apology ready on his lips and already written in his eyes, and Khadgar accepted it with a sweet smile, a loving one. Anduin gestured at the tunnel, which would eventually lead him to his new life, away from New York, away from Khadgar. Khadgar understood that and he accepted it. Yet he couldn’t let him go. Not like that.

He didn’t give it a second thought. He just went for it.

He kissed him.

There was a second where time seemed to stop, to vacillate between the before and the after, and Khadgar’s entire body froze. He didn’t have time to regret his action however, that time started back up again and Anduin was kissing him back. He had to push him away gently, or he was sure that they would have stayed there, lips on lips, indefinitely, or rather until Callan decided he had enough, or the stewardess insisted Anduin get on the plane. 

“Go,” Khadgar whispered against his lips.

If this had been a movie, Khadgar imagined it would have looked a bit like that: a wide shot, the stewardess gone, the hall empty save for the two of them and Callan, slow motion as Anduin walked backwards away from him, their joined hands slowly untangling as the distance between them was underlined by a perfect ray of light. In reality, Anduin more or less ran into the tunnel, glancing back once and crossing Khadgar’s gaze, an enormous and joyous grin on his face as he shouted “Talk to you when we get there!” Callan waved in his arms. The stewardess rushed in after them, hurrying to seal off the access to the tunnel, and then they were all gone.

Khadgar remained standing, alone, staring at the door for a full minute before someone bumped into him. They whispered a hasty “Sorry” but it was already too late: real life hit Khadgar suddenly, the buzzing airport around him finally registering. He glanced around even though no one was looking, guilty of getting overjoyed and momentarily zoning out, before he started to walk away. Out the window, the plane took off, silent through the thick glass. 

He imagined, at the tiny window of the plane, a small figure looking out with amazement and, next to him, a grinning father. A small smile graced Khadgar’s lips. As he headed out of the airport, he had an unmistakable skip in his step. 

He was in love.


End file.
